Make Your Flowers Last Longer

While cut flowers may not last forever, you can make any floral arrangement go the extra mile by following a few simple guidelines. Small tweaks in how you cut and care for your flowers can really go a long way. Read on to learn how to prevent premature wilting the easy way.

• Place the flowers in water as soon as possible. Cutting the stems effectively cuts off their ability to feed themselves and they will start to wilt if kept out of water for too long. The sooner you get them into water, the longer they will last.

• Place your flowers in a container filled no more than halfway up with room temperature water. Flowers only drink water through the ends of their stems, so there is no need to immerse the whole stalk in water. In fact, immersing the foliage in water might cause it to rot and the flowers to die earlier.

• Prepare your flowers wisely: Cut the stalks at an angle using a sharpened pair of pruning shears to increase water intake. Trim the foliage from the lower parts of the stems to discourage rotting and contaminating the water.

• Be careful not to crowd the flowers, as doing so may damage the petals. Chances are, if flowers are packed very tightly in the vase the water won’t stay clean long enough to allow them to last anyway. Give each flower some space to breathe.

• Before creating a floral arrangement for display at an event, let the flowers stand in water for five to six hours. The stems will fill with water, and the blooms will last much longer.

• Prevent bacterial growth using a preservative, available at any floral or garden supply store. You may also substitute bleach, if needed. If you don’t use either, you will need to trim the stems and change the water daily. Using plant food will cut this down to about once a week.